This stunning image captures the moment a comet streaks across the sky above Penshaw Monument.
Comet Neowise was spotted over the Sunderland landmark by our photographer Ian Cooper as it swept through the sky.
The comet is one of the few this century that can be seen by the naked eye as it approaches the sun.
It swept Mercury’s orbit earlier this month and its close proximity to the sun caused dust and gas to burn off its surface to create even greater debris before heading our way.
PA new agency photographer Owen Humphreys also captured images as the comet lined up with St Mary’s Lighthouse, in Whitley Bay, at around 12.45am on Tuesday.
The comet will be closest to the Earth on 23 July but will still be about 64 million miles away.
However, it is said to now be at its brightest and astronomers across the region have been taking the opportunity to catch a glimpse during clear night skies.
Comets are 'cosmic snowballs of frozen gases, rock and dust that orbit the Sun', leftover from the formation of the solar system.
Their size can range from a few miles wide to tens of miles wide - but as they orbit closer to the sun, they heat up and spew gases and dust into a glowing head that can be larger than a planet.
